Dear Readers - Dear Friends,

Every great article starts with a single act, a step taken by someone who refuses to wait for others to lead the way. Today, I'm reaching out to you with an urgent call to action.

In our clay community, there are countless individuals and communities in need of support. But too often, we find ourselves waiting for someone else to make a difference, to initiate change. We say to ourselves, "I'll donate when others do," or "Someone else will take care of it."

But what if that someone is you?

What if your single act of generosity could be the catalyst for change? Studio Potter is a nonprofit led by a group of volunteers and one staff member. We get countless requests to make our content free. This is one of our long-term strategic goals, but the short-term goal is to ensure that our fundraising strategy is feasible. Our authors are paid a humble $100 honorarium. This simply isn’t enough or on par with the national average. This can only change through your donation.

Today, we want to ignite a change in how our ceramic content is delivered. As you read this month’s issue with luminaries like Jonathan Kaplan and David MacDonald alongside emerging authors like Kristie Lui, and listen to the voice of Hamish Jackson in our podcast, I ask that you do not wait for someone else to take the lead. Instead, be the leader. Be the change-maker.

Our authors contribute their time, energy, and concepts to make our community a more thoughtful and authentic space. Please help us protect these conversations, their legacy, and emerging authorship by donating today.

Today, I write to you to encourage the creativity that resides within every one of us. Whether we realize it or not, we are all storytellers, weaving narratives of our own lives every day. And in the pages of Studio Potter, we find the tools to craft and listen to stories with depth, nuance, and authenticity. Even a modest contribution can support programs and authorship that empower equality, education, and innovation in topics such as technology or environmentalism, driving progress and advancements for the betterment of our field.

Randi O'Brien, editor